. >> welcome back. the orion will make its way into orbit and circle the earth twice. it's testing out new technologies that may some day send people further into space than ever before. >> reporter: we could soon be one small step closer to humans laning on mars. this is orion, nasa's first deep space capsule since the '70s. >> why is this the time to do this? >> it's a great time because we have a design, and it's time to actually put the design into practice. >> orion's program manager said thursday's launch will test critical technologies like the heeld shield and re-enter system. orion may look a lot like the apollo capsule of old, but it's hoped this vessel will go beyond the move, taking astronauts to an asteroid and eventually to